Premiership: Ipswich hit Sunderland for four

Ipswich 4, Sunderland 0 (half-time)

A three-goal blitz in the space of five minutes put Ipswich on the road to a third successive Premiership victory at Portman Road this afternoon.

Sunderland, so solid at the back in recent weeks, were cut open by wave upon wave of attacks by the home side, who had Thomas Gaardsoe, Alun Armstrong (twice) and Finidi George to thank for their 4-0 lead.

Ipswich had their tails up now and Magilton tried his luck from long range which Thomas Sorensen was equal to.

Then Armstrong was not so fortunate when he found space in the box, only to lose his footing as he prepared to pull the trigger.

Emerson Thome went in the book for holding back Marcus Bent before Ipswich took a stranglehold on the match with a three-goal blitz inside five minutes.

Gaardsoe got Town’s second when he climbed highest in a crowded box to power Mark Venus’ flag-kick into the far corner on 26 minutes.

And before the visitors had a chance to regroup, they found themselves 3-0 down. Darren Williams could only nod a long punt upfield under pressure from Armstrong on the edge of his own box. As the Sunderland goalkeeper came off his line Armstrong beat him to the ball and nodded it into an empty net.

It may have seemed like Lady Luck was smiling on the Tractor Boys but their fourth goal was one of pure quality.

George intercepted a stray pass in his own half, before laying the ball to Bent. The Ipswich striker then back-heeled it to Holland, who laid the ball forward into the path of the on-rushing George.

With Sorensen out to the edge of his box, the Nigerian then coolly clipped the ball over the Dane and into the far corner as Portman Road erupted.

Armstrong then had a hat-trick chance cleared off the line and put an even easier one wide as Sunderland, who had not conceded a goal for 203 minutes before this afternoon, struggled to contain Burley’s rampant Blues.

With the sort of day Sunderland were having, it was no surprise when Phillips’ 25-yard rasper was punched down by Matteo Sereni, only to bounce up and hit the bar before being cleared.